1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to the preparation of extracts of natural flavor and color elements from pure ground spice by the extraction of spice with fortified edible oils used as a solvent. The extracts so produced are commonly called oleoresin extracts.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Spice oleoresins are commonly used as an enhancement to foods, particularly as a flavor and/or color additives in the preparation and consumption of foods. Capsicum (or chili) spice is popular as such an enhancement, and oleoresins of the spice are commonly used as a color additive.
Current oleoresin extraction technology utilizes procedures which include the use of heat, organic solvents (sometimes chlorinated), steam injection and high vacuum. The use of heat, steam and vacuum destroy some of the carotenoid pigment, and almost all the flavor of the natural oleoresin. Organic solvents leave an objectionable residue in the oleoresin and spent chili solids. Undesirable natural substances such as gums or varnishes may be extracted with the oleoresin and remain in the oil, causing problems of flowability, streaking and others.
Some processes, such as Hall, U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,867 teach the use of the essential oil of spice for the extraction of a spice solid. The essential oil is obtained in the first instance by the steam distillation of the spice. This process generally involves contacting freshly ground spice with an essential oil or oleoresin of spice in a sealed container at elevated temperatures (180.degree. F.) for one hour to extract oleoresin from the spice. The supplemented essential oil of spice is recovered from the extracted spice solids by filtration and the spice cake residue washed with vegetable oil at 220.degree. F. The first supplemented essential oil extract obtained as a filtrate is then used for a second extraction of fresh ground spice, and after separation by filtration, the residual spice cake is again extracted with vegetable oil. The vegetable oil washings may be combined with the essential oil extracts, if desired.
Stohr, U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,475 teaches the preparation of a suspension of herb powders and flakes in a heated edible oil.
Berner, U.S. Pat. No, 3,372,111 teaches the use of heated vegetable oil to extract the antioxidant principles from spices and subsequent sparging with steam (at 175.degree. C.) to remove odor and flavor factors.
The present invention makes use of an edible oil as a solvent for spice extraction and accomplishes the extraction without the use of heat or steam or the use of toxic solvents. It greatly simplifies the extraction process, makes more economical use of spice ingredients and produces a colored edible oil extract with spice flavor.